About
Alain Farhad is one of the leading international arbitration lawyers based in the Middle East. He is a full time independent international arbitrator. As one of the MENA region’s most in demand international arbitrators, he has acted as sole arbitrator, co-arbitrator or presiding arbitrator in over 100 arbitration proceedings with several billion dollars in dispute.
Alain was educated in both the civil law and the common-law traditions having studied law at the Paris Sorbonne University and at the Cornell Law School. He is a French qualified lawyer (Avocat à la Cour) and a member of the New York Bar. He speaks Farsi in addition to French and English.
In addition to his work as an arbitrator, Alain is dedicated to the promotion of international arbitration on all continents and contributes to the growth of a diverse and skilled global arbitration community, through teaching and writing.
CV
After nearly two decades in private practice with several international law firms, Alain started FarhadArbitration in March 2024 in order to devote his full professional time to his work as an independent international arbitrator.
Prior to that, Alain was a partner and the head of international arbitration at Mayer Brown LLP in Dubai. In the course of his career in private practice, Alain has advised and represented as an advocate corporations, States and State-owned entities in commercial, construction and investment protection treaty disputes in over 100 arbitration proceedings, including some of the world’s largest.
In parallel to his work as counsel, Alain became one of the busiest international arbitrators based in the Middle East having issued over 100 awards in arbitration proceedings with seats in a variety of jurisdictions including Dubai, the DIFC, Abu Dhabi, the ADGM, Doha, the QFC, Riyadh, Cairo, Muscat, Kuwait, Geneva, Singapore, Paris and London.
He is a now a full time independent international arbitrator and has experience in a wide range of disputes including those arising from construction, infrastructure, energy and transportation projects, joint venture and shareholding agreements, agency and distributorship agreements, mergers and acquisitions, financial transactions and the sale of goods.
After nearly two decades in private practice with several international law firms, Alain started FarhadArbitration in March 2024 in order to devote his full professional time to his work as an independent international arbitrator.
Prior to that, Alain was a partner and the head of international arbitration at Mayer Brown LLP in Dubai. In the course of his career in private practice, Alain has advised and represented as an advocate corporations, States and State-owned entities in commercial, construction and investment protection treaty disputes in over 100 arbitration proceedings, including some of the world’s largest.
In parallel to his work as counsel, Alain became one of the busiest international arbitrators based in the Middle East having issued over 100 awards in arbitration proceedings with seats in a variety of jurisdictions including Dubai, the DIFC, Abu Dhabi, the ADGM, Doha, the QFC, Riyadh, Cairo, Muscat, Kuwait, Geneva, Singapore, Paris and London.
He is a now a full time independent international arbitrator and has experience in a wide range of disputes including those arising from construction, infrastructure, energy and transportation projects, joint venture and shareholding agreements, agency and distributorship agreements, mergers and acquisitions, financial transactions and the sale of goods.
Contact
International Arbitrator
alainfarhad@farhadarbitration.com
Tel: +971 50 100 1452
Index Tower, 4616
Dubai International Financial Centre
Dubai, United Arab Emirates